Beautiful ➳ Neil Perry.

vingt-quatre

The birds in the trees above sang a melody, a sweet echo passing through the park. The afternoon was quickly passing by; it would've been time for fifth period had Alice attended school today. But there was something still pulling on her. An unending heartbreak that hasn't quite left her just yet.

And no one has been the same since.

The boy sitting beside Alice on the park bench emitted a sigh. There was silence between them for a while, but neither blamed the other for it. A sense of comfort was felt in that silence, as though it were giving the pair time to gather their thoughts and feelings.

"So, what brings you here? On this side of town, I mean," Alice started, still quite shocked by walking into Todd on her way out. There was no other reason for him to find himself anywhere near Alice's street if it weren't intentional.

"I came to check up on you," he said, sounding rather flustered as he confessed, "I heard you've been turning everyone away . . . Even Chris and Charlie, so I've been worried as well."

"Lucky you," she replied, softly laughing, "You caught me on the day I actually decided to get out of the house."

Her smile soon faded, hoping her words hadn't been too insensitive. Todd and the others had known Neil for longer and spent everyday with him. They all must've been having a hard time too.

"I'm glad you're feeling a little better."

"Mm, thanks. How are you these days? And how are the others doing? I heard about Charlie's expulsion."

Lifting her head as the words left Todd's mouth, Alice gazed up at the view above. She watched the sky's golden hues mix with oranges and pinks, blending together to form the start of a beautiful sunset. Neil would've followed her gaze, telling her she'd need to paint that next.

And then it suddenly hit her. The painting. His painting. The work she promised him the day he took her to the art store many weeks ago. The work she'd dedicated to him and wished for him to see someday. It had still been in her room. Half done and far from complete, and it was certain he'd never be there to see it. He would never know.

Alice felt her chest tighten, Todd's speech muffled and out of focus. She thought she'd been done with the tears by now, but no. There was no way. Everywhere she looked, she saw little fragments of him. The Neil who pushed her to dream again— the one who'd prove that a dream could be a person.

The memories flooded Alice's mind, drowning out everything else happening around her. The final remnants of his smile were seen clearly even with closed eyes, the memory of him echoing loudly in her head. She'd finally come to a wake when she felt Todd's strong arms wrapping around her.

"It's alright, it's alright," he said softly, holding onto her tightly, "Alice, I'm here. It's okay."

Alice wiped her tears with her sleeve shakily before apologising, "I'm so sorry for dumping all of this onto you like this, Todd. I know you must've been hurting too."

"What are friends for?" he smiled, wiping the last of Alice's tears with his thumb, "We gotta be there for each other."

"Thank you. I'm here for you too, okay?"

"It's a deal," he smiled, "But tell me? What's still bothering you? What's on your mind?"

"I don't feel at peace at all. Like there's one thing after another, but especially this one thing." Alice said, her lip quivering slightly, "And it's that I never really got to tell him how much I loved him."

Todd rubbed Alice's back gently, his grin widening as his eyes smiled.

"Believe me, Alice. Neil knew. He knew that more than anything."

"Ah . . . Then I'm glad. I just needed him to know that, despite me stupidly not saying those words," she sniffled, chuckling as Todd reflected a smile, "And I just hope he finds peace. Wherever he is."

"Yeah, I know. Neil deserved a life way beyond this unfair world."

She smiled at the thought of it. Neil needn't suffer anymore. And Alice knew she could eventually put her mind at ease knowing that.

Todd finally stood from the bench, offering his hand out to Alice who looked up at him in bewilderment.

"Come, they're waiting for us."

With her questions left unanswered, Alice shrugged it off and focused on the path ahead of her. She'd been thankful for Todd, knowing she could've broken down alone in public if it hadn't been for him. They had each other, living through it all one day at a time and that was more than enough.

With every step she took, closely following after Todd who held onto her hand tightly, she felt like she was slowly walking away from the pain. Sure, it hurt like hell but it didn't have to feel like this. Not forever, at least. Neil wouldn't have wanted this for her or any of his friends to say the least.

Alice felt her heart warm up at the sight of her friends standing outside the diner ahead of them. Wearing a thick coat with her hands stuffed into her pockets was Chris, who's eyes lit up at the sight of her best friend approaching. It must've been days since she'd last seen her.

"Well, look who's finally here," Charlie clicked his tongue, "Thought we'd freeze to death by the time you two came."

"Sorry, it's my fault," Alice laughed sheepishly, to which Charlie soon softened to as a response.

"Can we talk inside?" Meeks groaned, rubbing his hands together in an effort to keep them warm.

"Please. I'm freezing."

Without hesitation, Pitts and Meeks push onto the door, helping themselves to one of the largest booths towards the back corner of the diner.

"Well, I'm starving," Knox added, tapping Alice on the back as he followed after the pair, "Glad you're doing okay, Alice."

Clinging onto her boyfriend's arm, Chris grinned as she tugged onto Alice's sleeve to keep her in the same step.

"I've missed you, Alice. You got me so worried!"

Alice mirrored the smile, squeezing on her friend's hand tightly.

"Thank you for everything, Chris."

"As long as you're okay."

The girls settled into the long bench, caught by surprise when Charlie forcibly held Todd back from taking a seat beside Alice.

"Nuh-uh," he sneered at Todd, who didn't appear to care where he sat in the first place, "I know you're all dying to know about my super romantic rendezvous with Nolan. So I'll take the honour of telling the story myself."

Alice rolled her eyes, the heavy weight on her shoulders rolling off as she laughed for the first time in a while.

"Are we really gonna sit here all night listening to Charlie run his mouth? Or are we actually going to order some food?"

"Shut up and just let me finish."

As Charlie rambled on about the events that had occurred in the past few days, Alice took the time to take a glimpse of her surroundings. All her friends who had the same privilege of knowing Neil Perry swore an oath that night.

They'd never let the memory of him die. They'd live deep and suck out all the marrow of life; and not, when they'd come to die, discover they had not lived.